Counting device



Sept. 21, 1965 R. H. DEVANNEY 3,207,433

COUNTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 23, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR. RAYMOND H.DEVANNEY ATTORNEYS Sept. 21, 1965 Filed Nov. 25, 1962 R. H. DEVANNEYCOUNTING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RAYMOND l-l. DEVANNEY WW @MM??? ATTORNEYS Sept. 21, 1965 R. H. DEVANNEY 3,207,433

COUNTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 23, 1962 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 4

INVENTOR.

RAYMOND H DEVANNEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,207,433 COUNTINGDEVICE Raymond H. Devanney, Berlin, Conn., assignor to Veeder- RootIncorporated, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov.23, 1962, Ser. No. 239,486 Claims. (Cl. 235139) This invention relatesparticularly to counting devices of the type usually having a pluralityof rotary indicator wheels and mechanical transfer or motion translatingmechanisms between the rotary indicator wheels providing intermittentadvancement from indicator wheels of lower order of the next higherorder indicator wheels.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a new andimproved motion translating mechanism having particular applicabilityfor providing the transfer or intermittent advancement within a counterand which provides an impulse transfer or advancement without the usualconcomitant substantial increase in the reactive torque to the drivethereof. Included within this aim is the provision of a motiontranslating device usuable at high speeds and which when used toeffectuate a counter transfer provides an impulse or intermittenttransfer at a rate which is substantially unaffected by the rotationalspeed of the counter.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improvedcounter having an association of parts providing an unique and compactassembly which may be economically manufactured and readily assembled.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new andimproved counter which even though driven at high speed providesintermittent transfer motion translation with minimum acceleration anddeceleration of the effected parts resulting in minimum stress thereonand a high degree of mechanical reliability over a long period of use.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of theapplication which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view partly broken away and partly in section ofa counter incorporating the present invention used as a clock fordisplaying time in seconds, minutes and hours through a twelve hourperiod;

FIG. 2 is a reduced exploded isometric view partly broken away andpartly in section of a portion of the counter of FIG. 1 showing the twominutes wheels and the transfer mechanism therebetween;

FIG. 3 is a partial axial section view of the counter of FIG. 1 showingthe seconds and lower order minutes wheels and the transfer mechanismtherebetween;

FIG. 4 is an end view partly broken away of the transfer mechanismbetween the seconds wheel and the lower order minutes wheel, showing thetransfer mechanism in a first position; and

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to FIG. 4 with further parts brokenaway showing the transfer mechanism in second, third and fourthpositions, respectively.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to theisometric view of FIG. 1, a clock counter embodying the presentinvention includes a support bracket having a pair of parallel sheetmetal end plates 10 and 12, a counter drive shaft 14 rotatably mountedwithin the end plates with its axis extending in a directionperpendicular thereto and, mounted coaxially on the drive ice shaft, arotary seconds Wheel 16, a minutes units-wheel 18, a minutes tens-wheel20 and an hours wheel 22. In the well known manner these wheels orrotary indicators bear numeral indicia on the periphery thereof todisplay the time through a twelve hour period, preferably with the wheel16 hearing a sequence of numerals for displaying time intervals of sixseconds, the minutes units-wheel 18 bearing a sequence of numerals of 0through 9, the minutes tens-wheel 20 bearing two numeral sequences of 0through 5 and the hours wheel bearing a sequence of numerals of 0through 12.

Significant to the compact and sturdy construction of the counter is theuse of flat plate dividers 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28, preferably made ofsheet metal, extending perpendicularly of the axis of the counter driveshaft 14 and parallel to the end plates 10 and 12. The dividers enclosethe transfer mechanisms positioned between the rotary indicators as wellas provide stationary parts in the transfer mechanisms, and are readilysecured with the end plates to provide a sturdy assembly by means of apair of hexagonally shaped rods 29 and a circular rod 30. The rods 29have reduced portions 31 snugly received within U-shaped grooves 32extending from the inner edges of the sheet metal dividers and arefastened to the end plates as by screws 33. The rod 30 is receivedwithin aligned openings 36 in the sheet metal dividers and secured tothe end plates as by a pair of screws 38.

As best shown in FIG. 2, transfer between the minutes units-Wheel 18 andthe minutes tens-wheel 20 is provided by the pair of sheet metal dividerplates 25 and 26, and a mutilated pinion 40 rotatably mounted on a pin42 on the wheel 18 eccentrically of the counter drive shaft 14. Thestationary divider 26 has stamped therein a mutilated internal gear 44substantially identical to an internal gear 46 formed on the Wheel 20except for a groove or recess 48 in the sheet metal divider 26 providedby the elimination of two teeth. The stationary sheet metal divider 25has stamped therein an opening defined in part by an internal land 50located adjacent the groove 48 and which is adapted to engage and holdagainst rotatable movement the transfer pinion 40 as its planetarymovement carries it along the groove 48. Therefore, with the transfergear or pinion 40 in mesh with the internal gear 46 of the wheel 20 andin mesh with the teeth of the stationary internal gear 44 the wheel 20remains stationary during the planetary movement of the transfer pinion.However, as the planetary movement of the pinion 40 carries it along thegroove 48 the land 50 holds the mutilated pinion against rotationalmovement with the result that a transfer to the wheel 20 is generated,such transfer accompanying the advancement of the wheel 18 from thedisplay of 9 to the display of 0. A similar transfer mechanism isprovided between the minutes tens-wheel 20 and the hours wheel 22 usingthe sheet metal dividers 27 and 28 which are contoured similarly to thedividers 25 and 26, but which provide a transfer for every of rotationof the minutes wheel 20 by the provision of two diametrically opposedgrooves in the internal gear of the divider 28 and correspondinginternal lands on the divider 27.

As best shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, transfer between the seconds wheel 16and the minutes units-wheel 18 is provided by a mutilated planetary ortransfer gear 60 rotatably mounted on a cylindrical eccentric hub 62 ofthe wheel 16. The wheel 16 is driven by the drive shaft through theknurled portion 64 thereon and is rotatably mounted in the end plate 12by a bushing 63. The minutes units-wheel 18 has an internal gear 65 inmesh with the transfer gear 60 and the sheet metal divider 24 is stampedwith a mutilated internal gear 66 which, as more 3 fully describedhereinafter, is adapted for intermittent meshing engagement with thetransfer gear 60.

For biasing the planetary gear 60 in one rotational direction, clockwiseas seen from the right side of the counter as viewed in FIG. 1, there isprovided a tension spring 67 having one end secured on an anchor pin 68fixed to the planetary gear 60 and its other end secured to an axialprojeection or lug 70 of an anchor arm 72. The tension spring 67 isarcuately deflected by a collar 74 rotatably mounted on the eccentrichub 62 and having a reduced portion 76 to which the anchor arm 72 issecured. The stationary divider 24 is provided with an internal grooveor recess 80 defined in part by a pair of generally radially extendingshoulders 82 and 84, and the lug 70 is maintained in abutting engagementwith the shoulder 82 by the tension spring 67 to prevent the anchor arm72 from rotating during the rotation of the eccentric hub 62. Forproviding a unitary subassembly consisting of the transfer gear 60, thecollar 74, the spring 67 and the anchor arm 72, and to simplify theassembly of this subassembly on the eccentric hub 62 of the secondswheel 16, the collar 74 is provided with an internal annulus 86 and thetransfer gear 60 is provided with an axially tapering projection 88interfitting within the annulus for maintain ing the collar 74 and gear60 in correct axial alignment prior to the mounting of the subassemblyon the eccentric hub 62.

Referring to FIGS. 4 through 7, the mutilated transfer gear 60 has inthe plane of the sheet metal divider 24, a radial projection or lug 100supporting the anchor pin 68 and adapted toabut the shoulder 84 forlimiting the rotational movement of the transfer gear 60 in theclockwise direction as viewed in these figures. Gear 60 also has in theplane of the divider 24, a pair of irregularly larger intertooth grooves102 and 104 provided by eliminating portions of the gear teeth, suchgrooves being adpted during the planetary movement of the gear 60 toreceive teeth-like projections 106 and 108, respectively, of themutilated gear 66 having irregularly greater intertooth spacing.Beginning with the position of the gear 60 in FIG. 4 where theprojection 100 is in abutment with the shoulder 84, rotation of thecounter drive shaft 14 and eccentric hub 62 in the clockwise directionprovides planetary movement of the gear 60 initially downward and to theleft to position the tooth 106 within the groove 102, it beingunderstood that with this initial movement of the gear 60 the projection100 thereof is retained against the shoulder 84 by the tension spring67. Further clockwise planetary movement of the gear 60 due to theclockwise rotation of the hub 62 brings about engagement of a toothed103 on the transfer gear with the tooth 106 to initiate rotating thegear 60 counterclockwise about the axis of the hub 62 and thereby movethe projection 100 out of engagement with the shoulder 84, as shown inFIG. 5. Continued planetary movement of the gear 60 further displacesthe projection 100 and positions the tooth 108 within the groove 104 ofthe gear 60 and into contact with a gear tooth 105 of the gear 60, asseen in FIG. 6 With further planetary movement of the gear 60,engagement of the tooth 103 with the tooth 106 is terminated and theengagement of the tooth 105 with the tooth 108 alone provides forfurther displacement of the projection 100 from the shoulder 84, as seenin FIG. 7. Subsequent planetary movement of the gear 60 brings aboutdisengagement of the tooth 105 with the tooth 108 to allow the spring 67to provide an impulse or snap-return of the projection 100 into abutmentwith the shoulder 84. Inasmuch as the gear 60 is in constant mesh withthe internal gear 65 of the wheel 18 this snap movement of the planetarygear 60 generates a transfer to the wheel 18.

Thus the transfer gear 60 is rotated in the counterclockwise directionabout the axis of the hub 62, due to the coaction between teeth 103, 106and teeth 105, 108, simultaneously with the planetary movement of theeccentric hub and the transfer gear 60 about the axis of the shaft 14.

Because of this simultaneous counterclockwise rotation of the transfergear the internal gear 65 of the minutes unitswheel 18 remainssubstantially stationary, it being understood that the teeth 106, 108are located so that the counterclockwise rotation of the transfer gear60 substantially offsets the clockwise planetary movement of thetransfer gear. However, when the transfer gear is disengaged and isreturned by the spring 67 to its initial rotational position, a transferis transmitted to the wheel 18 through the internal gear 65, whichtransfer is effected as a result of the prior planetary movement of thetransfer gear 60. Inasmuch as it is desired in the counter embodimentshown to index the wheel 18 one-tenth of a revolution or 36 for eachrevolution of the wheel 16, the ratio of the number of teeth on thetransfer gear 16, the ratio of the number of teeth on the transfer gear60 to the number of teeth on the internal gear 65 is 9: 10, there beingshown 18 and 20 teeth on the transfer gear 60 and internal gear 65,respectively.

Consequently, during a major part of the rotational movement of theshaft 14 and the resulting planetary movement of the gear 60, theprojection is being displaced from the shoulder 84 to deflect thetension spring 67, and when the meshing engagement of the tooth with thetooth 108 is terminated the energy stored in the tension spring 67provides a rapid return of the projection 100 against the shoulder 84 togive an impulse transfer to the higher order wheel without a reactiveforce to the counter drive shaft. This impulse transfer is accomplishedby the spring 67 and is thereby substantially unaffected by therotational speed of the shaft 14. Additionally, due to the manner inwhich the teeth 106 and 108 are first brought within the grooves 102 and104 of the gear 60 and then into engagement with the teeth of the gear60, the engagement and disengagement of the teeth 103, 105 of theplanetary gear with the teeth 106, 108, respectively, of the stationarygear is provided smoothly and without interference notwithstanding thedrive speed of the counter. Further, since the anchor arm 72 is mountedcoaxially with the gear '60, the deflection of the spring 67 is dueentirely to the displacement of the projection 100 from the shoulder 84.

It can therefore be appreciated that the counter of the applicantsinvention provides advantageous structural features which enable thecounter to be compactly and rigidly constructed of economical partscapable of rapid and convenient assembly. Additionally, the motiontranslating or transfer mechanism of the applicants invention providesfor a rapid impulse transfer which is substantially uniform and which isbrought about without any increase in the reactive force to the counterdrive shaft notwithstanding the rotational speed of the counter.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modificationsand adaptations of the structure above described will become readilyapparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A counter comprising a pair of parallel sheet metal end plates, adrive shaft rotatably mounted on the end plates about an axis extendingin a direction substantially perpendicular thereto, a first rotaryindicator wheel of lower order mounted on the drive shaft andoperatively connected thereto for drive thereby, a second rotaryindicator wheel rotatably mounted on the drive shaft, a transfer gearrotatably mounted eccentrically on the indicator wheel of lower orderfor planetary movement about the axis thereof, an internal gear on therotary indicator wheel of higher order in mesh with the transfer gear, astationary multilated internal gear meshing with the transfer gearduring only a part of the planetary movement thereof for controlling thetransfer drive be tween the indicator wheels during said part of theplanetary movement of the transfer gear, said stationary internal gearbeing provided by a substantially flat plate extending between theindicator wheels substantially parallel to the sheet metal end plates,means biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction, meansincluding abutting parts on the transfer gear and the fiat platelimiting rotational movement of the transfer gear in said one rotationaldirection and means securing the fiat plate with the parallel end plateswhereby the flat plate provides control of the motion translated betweenthe indicator wheels during said part of the planetary movement of thetransfer gear and the biasing means provides control of the motiontranslated between the indicator wheels during the remaining planetarymovement of the transfer gear.

2. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotarymembers comprising a transfer gear rotatably mounted eccentrically onone of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axis thereof,a gear on the other of the rotary members in mesh with the transfergear, means biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction, and acontrol gear, the control gear and transfer gear being contoured toprovide for intermeshing engagement thereof during only part of theplanetary movement of the transfer gear whereby the control gearcontrols the drive to said other rotary memher during said part of theplanetary movement of the transfer gear and the biasing means controlsthe drive to said other rotary member during the remaining planetarymovement of the transfer gear.

3. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotarymembers comprising a driving element rotatably mounted eccentrically onone of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axi thereof,a driven element on the other of the rotary members in operativeengagement with the driving element, means biasing the driving elementin one rotational direction, and a stationary control element, saidstationary control element and driving element being contoured toprovide for operative engagement therebetween during only part of theplanetary movement of the driving element whereby the stationary elementcontrols the translation of motion to said other rotary member duringsaid part of the planetary movement of the driving element and thebiasing means controls the translation of mot-ion to said other rotarymember during the remaining planetary movement of the driving element.

4. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotarymembers comprising a planetary gear rotatably mounted eccentrically onone of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axis thereof,a gear on the other ofthe rotary members in mesh with the planetarygear, a mutilated stationary gear contoured to mesh with the planetarygear during only part of the planetary movement thereof, and meansbiasing the planetary gear in a first rotational direction including ananchor member rotatably mounted on said one rotary member coaxially withthe planetary gear, means limiting rotational movement of the anchormember in at least one rotational direction, and spring means connectedto the anchor member and to the planetary gear biasing the planetarygear in said first rotational direction whereby the stationarymultilated gear controls the translation of motion to said other rotarymember during said part of the planetary movement of the planetary gearand the biasing means controls the translation of motion to said otherrotary member during the remaining planetary movement of the planetarygear.

5. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotarymembers comprising a transfer gear rotatably mounted eccentrically onone of the rotary members for planetary movement about the axis thereof,a gear on the other of the rotary members in mesh with the transfergear, a stationary mutilated internal gear contoured to provideintermeshing engagement with the transfer gear during only part of theplanetary movement thereof for controlling the drive to said otherrotary member during said part of the planetary movement of the transfergear, means biasing the transfer gear in one rotational direction forcontrolling the drive to said other rotary member during the remainingplanetary movement of the transfer member, and means including abuttingparts on the transfer gear and stationary gear limiting rotationalmovement of the transfer gear in said one rotational direction.

6. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotarymembers comprising a multilated transfer gear rotatably mountedeccentrically on one of the rotary members for planetary movement aboutthe axis thereof, a gear on the other of the rotary members in mesh withthe transfer gear, means biasing the transfer gear in one rotationaldirection, a stationary mutilated internal gear contoured for meshingwith the transfer gear only a part f the planetary movement thereof forcontrolling the transfer drive between the rotary members during saidpart of the planetary movement of the transfer gear, said mutilatedinternal gear having a pair of teeth with irregularly greater intertoothspacing and said mutilated transfer gear having .a pair of irregularlylarger intertooth grooves for receiving the pair of teeth during theplanetary movement of the transfer gear, and means biasing the transfergear in one rotational direction for controlling the transfer drivebetween the rotary wheels during the remaining part of the planetarymovement of the transfer gear.

7. The motion translating device of claim 6 wherein said internal gearis provided by a substantially fiat plate extending between the rotarymembers to provide a compact motion translating device and furthercomprising means including abutting parts on the transfer gear and theflat plate limiting rotational movement of the transfer gear in said onerotational direction.

8. A motion translating device for providing a drive between two rotarymembers comprising an accentric on one of the rotary members, a transfergear rotatably mounted on the accentric for planetary movement about theaxis of the one rotary member, a gear on the other rotary member in meshwith the transfer gear, a stationary mutilated internal gear meshingwith the transfer gear during a part of the planetary movement thereoffor controlling the transfer drive to the other rotary member duringsaid part of the planetary movement of the transfer gear, a collarrotatably mounted on the eccentric having an anchor arm, and biasing thetransfer gear in one rotational direction including a tension springhaving one end secured to the anchor arm and the other end se cured tothe transfer gear, said stationary gear and said transfer gear havingabutting parts limiting rotational movement of the transfer gear in saidone rotational direction, and said stationary gear and said anchor armhaving abutting parts limiting rotational movement of the anchor arm inthe opposite rotational direction.

9. The motion translating device of claim 8 wherein the transfer gearand collar have axially extending interfitting parts preventing movementtherebetween in a direction laterally of the axis thereof to provide aunitary subassembly with the tension spring and anchor arm.

10. A counting device comprising a pair of substantially parallel endplates, a shaft mounted on the end plates having its axis extendingsubstantially perpendicular thereto, a pair of rotary wheels of higherand lower order mounted on the shaft, a transfer gear rotatably mountedeccentrically on the wheel of lower order for planetary movement aboutthe axis thereof, a gear on the wheel of higher order in mesh with thetransfer gear, a stationary mutilated internal gear contoured formeshing with the transfer gear during only a part of the planetarymovement thereof for controlling the advancement of the rotary wheel ofhigher order during said part of the planetary movement of the transfergear, said internal gear being provided by a substantially flat plateextending between the wheels, and means securing the flat plate with 7the end plates to provide a rigid and compact assembly References Citedby the Examiner comprising first and second spaced substantiallyparallel elongated rods extending between and secured to the end UNITEDSTATES PATENTS plates, the flat plate having a pair of grooves extending1,632,489 11/ 28 11Sm0re 235'139.1 from the edge thereof and the firstand second elongated 5 1,797,273 Mln r 235139.1 rods having reducedportions received Within the grooves, 2,693,317 11/54 Demlllenaere235136 a third elongated rod extending between the end plates, the flatplate having an opening receiving the rod, and means LEO SMILOW PrimaryExammer' removably securing the third rod to the end plates. LEYLANDMARTIN, Examiner-

1. A COUNTER COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SHEET METAL END PLATES, ADRIVE SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE END PLATES ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDINGIN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR THERETO, A FIRST ROTARYINDICATOR WHEEL OF LOWER ORDER MOUNTED ON THE DRIVE SHAFT ANDOPERATIVELY CONNECTED THERETO FOR DRIVE THEREBY, A SECOND ROTARYINDICATOR WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE DRIVE SHAFT, A TRANSFER GEARROTATABLY MOUNTED ECCENTRICALLY ON THE INDICATOR WHEEL OF LOWER ORDERFOR PLANETARY MOVEMENT ABOUT THE AXIS THEREOF, AN INTERNAL GEAR ON THEROTARY INDICATOR WHEEL OF HIGHER ORDER IN MESH WITH THE TRANSFER GEAR, ASTATIONARY MULTILATED INTERNAL GEAR MESHING WITH THE TRANSFER GEARDURING ONLY A PART OF THE PLANETARY MOVEMENT THEREOF FOR CONTROLLING THETRANSFER DRIVE BETWEEN THE INDICATOR WHEELS DURING SAID PART OF THEPLANETARY MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSFER GEAR, SAID STATIONARY INTERNAL GEARBEING PROVIDED BY A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT PLATE EXTENDING BETWEEN THEINDICATOR WHEELS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SHEET METAL END PLATES,MEANS BIASING THE TRANSFER GEAR IN ONE ROTATIONAL DIRECTION, MEANSINCLUDING ABUTTING PARTS ON THE TRANSFER GEAR AND THE FLAT PLATELIMITING ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF THE TRANSFER GEAR IN SAID ONE ROTATIONALDIRECTION AND MEANS SECURING THE FLAT PLATE WITH THE PARALLEL END PLATESWHEREBY THE FLAT PLATE PROVIDES CONTROL OF THE MOTION TRANSLATED BETWEENTHE INDICATOR WHEELS DURING SAID PART OF THE PLANETARY MOVEMENT OF THETRANSFER GEAR AND THE BIASING MEANS PROVIDES CONTROL OF THE MOTIONTRANSLATED BETWEEN THE INDICATOR WHEELS DURING THE REMAINING PLANETARYMOVEMENT OF THE TRANSFER GEAR.